Pencil pointer



Feb. 18, 1930. w. L. UHL 1,747,269

PENCIL POINTER F-iled March 20, 1928 wow 7 INVENTQR "ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1930 PATENT OFFICE WALTER L. UHL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PENCIL POINTER Application filed March 20, 1928. Serial No. 263,019.

My invention relates to a device for shaping the points of pencils to conform to the needs of artists, architects and others engaged in similar occupations. The ordinary me chanical pencil sharpener which forms a conical straight side taper upon both the wood of the pencil and the point are unsatisfactory for the purpose, because such a point is wholly unsuited for drawing and drafting.

For these purposes a very much longer point upon the lead is generally required and often one having a flat side or a chisel edge. Consequently architects and draftsmen have been in the habit of first removing the wood with a knife and then shaping the point as desired by rubbing it upon a piece of sandpaper.

An abrasive pointer of this nature has been on the market for some time, which consists of a pad or block composed of several sheets of sandpaper glued together at the edges, the whole block being glued to a thin piece of a wood, the end of which is suitably shaped to form a handle. This device has not proven wholly satisfactory because of the universal habit of rapping it edgewise upon a hard surface to remove the accumulated lead. This frequently results in detaching the sandpaper block in whole or in part, from the wooden back and makeshift repairs become necessary.

The user invariably soils his fingers and is put to the annoying necessity and loss of tlme of washing his hands since cleanliness is essential in the professions referred to.

Furthermore, such pointers become soiled, scarred and generally unattractive in a short time.

By my invention all of the advantages of a any number up to capacity, when the original supply has become exhausted. Since it is made entirely of metal and preferably nickeled, it is a highly ornamental adjunct to a drafting board and is practically indestructible. Furthermore, it may be easily and inexpensively manufactured by ordinary processes.

The pencil pointer of my invention is il-' lustrated by the accompanying drawings. Of these Fig. 1, is a view in perspective of one form of my invention.-

Fig. 2, is a sectional View, also in perspective, along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is an enlarged cross section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. y

The same numbers have been used to identify the same parts in all of the figures.

My pencil pointer, in the form illustrated, comprises a flat tray-like body 1 with a handle 2 projecting from one end, said body and handle being preferably stamped from sheet steel or other metal of suitable stiffness in a single piece. The body 1 consists of a flat bottom 3, sides 4 and 5 and ends 6 and 7 formed by bending the metal at right angles to the bottom and a flange 8 bent inwardly and 7 preferably also upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, for example, approximately 30,

eliminate sharp corners. Stiifness is imparted to the handle 2 by rolling the edge 9 and a rigid relation with the body is secured by means of the tabs 10 which are integral with the body and may be bent around the end 7 to support it.

Within the tray, formed as described, is a flat or slightly crowned thin metal plate or carrier 11 of slightly smaller dimensions than I the inside of the tray, but of the same shape and with the edges 12 preferably bent downwardly at an angle corresponding approximately with the inclination of the flange 8 of the tray.

The arris lines 14 along which the edges of the carrier are bent are chosen so that the flat or slightly crowned portion of the carrier is a little shorter and narrower than the open ing in the top of the tray. t will be seen that 1 if the carrier 11 is pressed upwardly by a suitable spring between it and the bottom of the tray, its bent edges will engage with the similarly bent flange of the tray and the opening in the top of the tray will be closed by the ca rrier and a flat surface will be presented which will project slightly above the plane of the top of the tray. Such a spring is shown at 33 in the form of a leaf spring of slightly less length and with ends of substantially the same width as the flat portion of the carrier. This is placed between the tray bottom and the carrier as shown, with its ends resting upon the carrier and its center upon the bottom. There is thus presented a resilient means whereby the carrier is normally pressed upward and yet is enabled to yield clownwardly by the application of a moderat pressure.

The purpose of the carrier 11 is to act asa support for one or more sheets 15 ofsandpaper or other suitable abrasive and to maintain the top sheet at a given height with respect to the flange of the tray, without regard to the number of sheets beneath it. Also by this means the sheets of abrasive paper are pressed together and clamped between the carrier and the flanges of the tray so that they are held firmly and securely in position, the friction between the abrasive sheets and between the top abrasive surface and the flange of the tray materially assisting. The resilient assemblage of the carrier however, permits of the easy removal from the end 7 of a used sheet or any number of sheets and the reloading of the pointer with a new supply.

The flange 8 of the tray has been shown and described as preferably bent upward at an angle to the horizontal. This is not essential but is desirable because in this way the surface of the abrasive sheet will be slightly above the edge of the flange and the flange will not interfere with the securing of as long a taper upon the lead as desired. The sandpaper sheets 15 for use in my pointer have in general the same shape and form as the carrier 11, that is to say, if the carrier is bevelled as preferred, the sheets are also bevelled to approximately correspond, so that they will fit snugly upon the carrier 11 and their edges coincide with the edges of the carrier and the inside of the flange of the tray. Whatever shape is adopted for these portions, the same shape should be given to the abrasive sheets. i

The pointer may be equipped with a hinged cover (not shown) if desired to protect the abrasive paper from dust and other objects from contact with the pulverized lead adhering to the abrasive paper.

By the means described above I have obtained a magazine pencil pointer which is attractive, durable and inexpensive to make,

which will hold one or a number of abrasive sheets with equal security and with the top sheet always in the same position, which permits of replacement of the sheets as many times as desired and is in all respects more useful, convenient and satisfactory than the pointer now on the market.

It is understood of course that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangements described which have been mentioned solely for explanatory purposes.

What I claim is:

1. A pencil pointer comprising a traylike container for one or more abrasive sheets, a flange on said container extending inwardly from the upper edges of the sides and one end thereof and means within the container cooperating therewith to maintain the upper abrasive sheetin a definite operative position -with its abrasive surface in a plane slightly above the edges of said holder and to permit of the removal of one or more of said sheets.

2. A pencil pointer comprising a holder for abrasive paper in the form of a shallow tray, the upper edges of which are bent inwardly on the sides and one end and also upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, a carrier for abrasive paper within said holder, the edges of which are bent downwardly to the horizontal to approximately the same degree, abrasive paper shaped to conform to the contour of said holder, a spring beneath said carrier, said carrier and said spring -co-operating with said holder to maintain the abrasive sheets firmly in operative. position with its abrasive surface in a plane slightly above the .edges of said holder and to permit of replacement thereof.

WALTER L. UHL. 

